There is one date circled on the calendar for every middle school football player in the city of Portage each year. For one night, the seventh and eighth grade “A” football teams from Willowcreek and Fegely receive the opportunity to play on the Portage High School turf under the lights.
After years of attending varsity football games at the Warpath, the middle school players are finally able to live the fantasy of playing a game there.
On Tuesday night, the Willowcreek Braves topped the Fegely Warriors in a tightly contested defensive battle 16-0. The game was scoreless through the first three quarters before Willowcreek found the end zone early in the fourth on a Trent Handley 15 yard run. The touchdown was followed by two point conversion. The Braves secured the victory by adding another eight points with 2:30 left in the game on a 20 yard touchdown run by Brandel Clayton.
Eighth grader Amad Harris displayed a strong arm at quarterback for Fegely with several big completions. Wide receiver Marquis White was Harris’ favorite target. Seventh grader Zack Rudd came into the game to take some snaps under center late in the game.
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Tuesday’s game, Willowcreek was wearing white uniforms while Fegely sported red, but next year the eighth graders from both schools will come together as freshmen to play at the Warpath. The intercity rivalry game has a friendly feel to it, with both teams sensing that they represent one city. However, bragging rights were still on the line with the Braves extending their winning streak over their neighbors from the other side of town.
Tuesday’s game was the final one on the slate for both schools this season. Both teams compete in the Lake Porter Athletic Conference, which also includes Chesterton, Crown Point Taft, Crown Point Wheeler, Hobart, Valparaiso Ben Davis and Valparaiso Thomas Jefferson. The seventh graders who got the chance to play in Tuesday’s game will partake in next year’s rematch.